View Specification DocumentWorld War II: Economy and Society ESH4055
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Social and Political Sciences
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course introduces students to selected key issues relating to economy and society in World War II and the main historiography surrounding them. It does not focus on the fighting itself; instead it addresses the Second World War as a global conflict with primary attention to the economic and social issues that helped bring it about, the economic and social constraints on the combatants, and the war's economic and social impact.
Timetable
Lecture: one hour per week, Seminar: one hour per week. Please note this course does not run every session. For the current course list please see: http://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/economicsocialhistory/honourscourselist
Requirements of Entry
Enrolment in an MA (SocSci) or MA (Arts) Honours Programme
Assessment
One source report = 15%
One essay = 25%
One exam = 60%
Main Assessment In: April/May
Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable
It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.
[No exceptions]
Course Aims
The aim of this course is to introduce students to selected key issues relating to economy and society in World War II as a global conflict and the main historiography surrounding them. It does not focus on the fighting itself; instead, it addresses the economic and social issues that helped bring about the conflict, the economic and social constraints on the combatants, and the economic and social impact that the fighting entailed.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students should be able to:
1. Situate critically a primary source document in the historiographical debates studied in the module.
1. Assess critically and broadly some of the key historiographical issues relating to the economic and social history of the Second World War.
1. Demonstrate understanding of the mutual interactions among war, economy, and society during the conflict and the ways these interactions changed through time.